Method of transfer decorating



April 23, 1935. T. E REESE 1,998,638

METHOD OF TRANSFER DECORATING Filed April 2'7, 1952 IN VEN TOR.

Thomas 8. Reese.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Apr. 23, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT ori ice .1,99s,s9s METHOD or TRANSFER DECORATING Thomas S. Reese, Cleveland, Ohio I Application April 27, 1932, Serial No. 607,891

1 Claim. (CI. 11-33) a This invention relates to a method of forming transfer designs.

In forming multi-colored transfer designs, such for instance as designs in imitation of wood graining, it has, in the past, been necessary to form the design from a. plurality of differently colored inks which involved as many printing operations as differently colored inks used. This method of printing a multi-colored transfer design is expensive due to the multiple printing operations.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel method of forming a multi-colored transfer design which is more economical than the prior methods. Another object is to provide a novel-method of forming transfer designs which takes advantage of either the natural color of the surface upon which the design is to be transferred or of the color of a finishing or surfacing coat of material applied upon such surfaces. Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following detail description.

In the drawing,

Figure l is a. perspective view illustrating a;

transfer decoration prior to mounting according to the practise of thisinvention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating a transfer decoration after mounting according to this invention.

According to this invention, the transfer design may be formed-in a plurality of ways. One method of forming the design is to print upon the gummed side of" decalcomania paper with a suitable kind of ink, such as lithographing ink, a sumcient number of times to build up a film heavy enough to transfer. Alternatively, the design may be printed or lithogra'phed upon the gummed side of decalcomania paper and then a film of suitable substance such as a mixture of nitrocellulose, resin and plasticizer, or of nitrocellulose and resin alone, laid down upon the printed surface by spreading a solution of the composition thereon and drying. The composition will take up the ink of the design. The film with the design therein may then be transferred to the surface. Still another method of forming the transfer design is to lay down a film of suitable .composition such as nitrocellulose, resin and plasticizer on the gummed side of'decalcomania paper and dry the same. A design'may be printed inlithographed on the surface of the composition. Still another layer of the composition maybe deposited upon the first layer to cover the design. The additional layer of the composition overlying the printed matter upon the first layer is not essential to this invention. It may be employed where the transfer is subjected to extraordinary weathering conditions. The laminatecl sheet carrying the design may then be transferredto the surface which is tocarry it. 5

Where a. multi-colored design is to be transferred onto a surface it sometimes occurs that the color of the surface forms one of the constituent colors of the design. In that case one of the printing operations in forming the design may be eliminated and only the remaining constituent colors of the design are used in printing the transfer design. When the design less one of the colors is transferred'to the colored surface the composite coloring of the design will be completed. Where the design is transferred from a paper in the form of layers of ink no difficulty is presented in obtaining the combination of colors. Where the design is carried by a layer of composition it is necessary that'the composition be transparent in order that the color of the surface to which the design is applied may combine with thatof the transfer designs Where the surface to which the design is applied is of such nature as to supply one of the colors of the design it may be necessary to finish that surface with a transparent lacquer; before applying the transfer'design. In other instances,

because of the nature'of the surface of the ma-' terial, it is necessary to apply a surfacing finish, such for instance as is the case with the building materials masonite, sheet-rock, celotex and wall board. According to the practice of this invention, the material is surfaced with a lacquer, paint or enamel of suitable color such as is necessary to combine with the other colors carried by the transfer in order to complete the desired design. For instance, in order to reproduce a walnut grain three colors namely black, red and buff should be employed, and'the black and 40 red colors may be used in the transfer design while the buff color may be provided by finishing or filling the surface to which the design is-to be applied with a. buff colored lacquer, enamel or paint. In applying thetransfer design to the finished surface the reproduction of walnut grain will be completed.

The'method .maly also be applied in forming various designs on metal surfaces by first lacquering the metal a suitable color and finishing the design by transfer printing. 9

The method of this invention may be employed in connection with design bearing media. other than that hereinbefore typified as transfer signs or decorations. For example, a suitable medium of the nature of a cellulose ester, which may be combined with resins and plasticizers as desired, such as cellulose acetate, may be prepared in sheet form unsupported by backing materials. The design or decoration, less one color, may be formed in the lamination and the lamination then may be applied to the surface to be decorated. The natural color of the surface, the color of the priming coat which may be necessary to prepare the surface, or coloring included in an adhesive for uniting the lamination to the surface, may provide the additional color, which, together with the colors of the design or decoration, completes the color scheme. Cellophane may be employed to provide such a design bearing medium. Alternatively, the cellulose ester or like medium may be applied to the surface in fluent form and, after the lamination has set, the design or decoration may be printed or otherwise applied onto the lamination, one color of the color scheme being supplied by the background color afforded by the surface.

Inasmuch as it is usually necessary to first coat a surface with a suitable lacquer or finishing paint before applying the transfer design it is evident that in practicing this invention no substantial increase in cost is incurred by selecting an appropriate color for such finishing or filling coat in order to complete a design. However, by making use' of the color of the finishing coat in the design, at least one printing operation in forming the transfer design is eliminated thereby substantially reducing the cost for the complete design,

In the drawing, the transfer decoration is shown, Figure 1, after it has been built up by forming the clear film on the gum sizing of the decalcomania paper, and after printing on the film. The base material, Figure 2, is coated with the film of surfacer of color complemental to the print and, while tacky, the decoration is applied thereto, print down, as shown, by rolling it on in the usual manner. The surfacer sets up completely thereafter. The transfer backing may be removed at any time after mounting the decoration on the surfacer.

While invention has been described in detail by way of illustration it is not intended to so limit the invention inasmuch as modifications may be made therein as will be apparent to one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claim.

What I claim is:

The method of decorating which comprises coating the gum surface of decalcomania paper with a colorless solution'of nitrocellulose, resin and plasticizer, eliminating the. solvent to form a continuous flexible, transparent film, printing a design on the film, coating a base material with a surfacer having a ground color complementary to the colors of the printed design, said surfacer having adhesion for both the base material and the film, drying the surfacer until tacky and immobile, applying the printed face of the transfer on to the tackysurfacer with slight pressure, removing the decalcomania paper backing, said surfacer drying to permanent condition at ordinary temperatures after applica- 

